Mandela proposes speaker as transitional president

The facilitator of the Burundi peace process, Nelson Mandela, has proposed the national assembly speaker Leonce Ngendakumana as president of the transitional government. The Tanzanian ‘Guardian’ newspaper quoted a reliable source as saying that Mandela was of the opinion that Ngendakumana should lead a proposed transitional government and not any other person. The source said that other Burundi groups, including the government, were suggesting that the current president, Pierre Buyoya, should lead the transition.

The G10, a group of 10 pro-Tutsi parties, as well as the government, insist that Buyoya is the “only man” who has managed to restore some order and security in the country. The source said that another group of parties involved in Arusha peace process, known as the G7, mainly Hutu-dominated, has suggested Domitien Ndayizeye of the FRODEBU (exterior) party for the post. The source noted there have been disagreements among the group on this choice.